Method of making a tank for a tank truck



H. v. LunwlcK METHOD OF MAKING A TANK FOR A TANK TRUCK July s, 1937.

Fied Dec. 11, 1954 July 6, 1937. H. v. LuDwlcK y #2,086,134.

METHQQF MAKING A TANK FOR'A TANK TRUCK File@ Dec. l11, 19:54

' INVENToR /S/PBERVK up w/c/g,

BY S

l ATTORNEY- Patented July 6, 1937 METHOD F MAKING A TANK FOR A TANK TRUCK Herbert v. Luiiwi ck, Dearborn, Mich.

Application'December 11, 1934, Serial No. 75.6,919

2 Claims.

mi1k, etc., may be produced by anovel method at a reduced cost.

My invention further relates to a tank truck o f this type in which the present load capacity is greatly increased in proportion to the total 0 dead weight of the complete vehicle, thereby increasing the eiciency and earning capacity of the tank truck.

My invention still further relates to a tank truck, the liquid 'containing tank of which is 0f an extremely rigid but relative light construction calculated to withstand the stress and torque to which it may be subjected in actual use on the road.

My invention still further relates to a tank truck construction which includes means for effectively dischargingl the contents of the tank by utilizing the power plant of a truck.`

My invention still further relates to a tank truck, the liquid containing tank of which may be formed of stainless steel or other sheet metal, and the surface of which is treated to resist corrosion to permit the shipping therein of edible liquids in a sanitary manner and at the same time to increase the life of the tank.

My invention still further relates to a novel method of making a tank truck from initially at pieces of sheet` metal without the necessity of forming or shaping the sections of the tank separately or prior to their assembly.

method of mounting the tank of a tank truck with respect to the chassis of an automotive vehicle and to various other features of construc-4 tion and advantage, all ashereinafter more fully set forth and claimed in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 represents a plan view of two superimposed lat sheets of metal from which the tank of my novel tank truck is' formed according to my novel method.

y, Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a'vertical sectional view illustrating a step in the method of 'forming the tank.

Fig. -i represents a cross section, on an enlarged Scale, on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

^ AFig, 5 represents a side elevation of the tank illustrating'. the second step in the process of manufacture. Y l

Fig. 6 represents a plan view of Fig. 5.

My invention still further relates to a novel Fig. 7 represents a cross section, on an enlarged scale, on line 1-1 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 represents a diagrammatic side elevation showing the tank encased and mounted on the chassis of an automotive vehicle and also diagrammatically illustrating the means and method for discharging contents of a tank.

Reierring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts, and more' particularly .to Figs. 1 and 2, mynovel tank is formed of the initially upper and lower at metal sheets I0 and I2 which are superimposed upon each other after'having been cut to the desired dimensions, the thickness or tensile strength of the metal being in proportion to the duty to be l performed. The sheets I0 and I2 are welded together along or near their outer perimeter at approximately the point shown by the dotted line I4 in Fig. 1. At the bottom and near the end of the sheet I2 I provide an inlet I6 which is suitably controlled by any desired valve and which leads to a source of liquid under pressure not shown. At the opposite end and near the end of the upper sheet I 0, I provide a controlled air vent or outlet I8. The sheets I Il and I2, assembled as shown in Fig. 2 having their edges welded together as described and provided with the inlet I6 and vent I8, are then placed as shown by the dotted lines 20 within an external conilning outer shoe or casing, which is formed of sections 2| and which is assembled and retained by the bolts, or otherl means 22. The outer conning sectional shell is of a size and shape to conform to the form of the tank to be produced. With the parts assembled, as shown in Fig. 3, I introduce through the inlet I6 a liquid under pressure, such as water or any other desired liquid, the pressure of which is calculated to separate the sheets I0 and I2 and push them apart upwardly and downwardly against the walls o! the outer sectional confining shellQthereby changingi the form of the sheets I0 and I2 from the flat form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to the form of the outer conining shell as shown at 24 in Figs. 3 and 4. Any air that many initially have existed between the sheets I0 and I 2 is expelled through the air Vent I9. It is to be understood that the edges 26 of the sheets' Il! and I2 are not clamped tightly between the corresponding flanges 28 of the corresponding sections ofthe outer conning shell, so that as the sheets I0 and I2 are bent into their circular or cylindrical form the longitudinal and transverse edges 26 of the sheets I Il and I2 are Figs. 1, 3 and 4 to enable the sheets Il! and l2 to be deflected into their circular or cylindrical form without 'effecting any appreciable stretching of the metal sheets l and l2 themselves, thereby not only retaining the initial strength of the sheets I0 and I2 but also preserving any special iinish on their interior surfaces. The sheets l0 and I2 thus formed by hydraulic pressure to conform to the contour of the outer confining shell, which represents the size and shape of the tank to be formed, now assume the form shown in Fig. and are bound with the reinforcing bands 30. The finished tank is provided with the valve inlets 32 and with the drain outlets 3B and is mounted on the channel irons 36, which in turn are suitably mounted on the chassis of an automotive vehicle or trailer in any desired manner, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 8. If desired, I may close the completed tank withthe outer protective shell or covering 3B, which may be stream-line, if desired.

In order to be able to discharge the contents of the tank by means other than gravity, I provide the compressed air storage tank 40, into which air is compressed by compressors (not shown) operated by the power plant of the truck. From the compression/tank 40 a conduit 42 leads downwardly and supplies compressed air necessary for operating the brakes and the conduit M leads into the adjacent end of the tank, so that by introducing air under pressure into the adjacent end of the tank the liquid contents thereof can be discharged and delivered at a point higher than the level of liquid in the tank.

It will thus be seen that by my novel construction a substantially cylindrical tank is formed from initially flat contiguous sheets of metal, the edges of which are welded and which are sepaaoeaiea rated and formed into the desired shape by means of hydraulic pressure, and that the curvature is produced by shortening the longitudinal andtransversv diameters rather than by stretching of the metalitself, thus enabling me to produce a tank of this character from a sheet metal either of the stainless steel variety or of a type the inner surface of which is covered with enamel or other coating to adapt the tank for containing any special edible or other liquids without in any way changing the surface of the metal or destroying its finish. Due to the fact that there are no 4radialfwelds in the line of tortion, I am enabled to make my tank of a relatively lighter gage of-metal than would'be necessary in the construction of a similar tank for similar duty which is built up of formed and welded sections.

I claim'.

1. The method of making a tank for a tank truck which consists in superimposing two congruent sheets of metal, welding said sheets together along a line near their perimeter, forming a liquid inlet near one end of said sheets and an air outlet near the other end of said sheets, and introducing a liquid under pressure through said inlet to separate said sheets and deflect them into the desired form.

2. The method of making -a tank for a tank truck which consists in superimposing two congruent sheets of metal, welding said sheets together along a line near their perimeter, forming a liquid inlet near the end of one of said sheets and an air-outlet near the end ofthe other of said sheets, and introducing a liquid under pressure through said inlet to separate said sheets and deflect them into the desired form.

HERBERT v. LUDWICK. 

